Visitor Services Research Articles

An Analysis of Visitor Behaviors and Satisfaction in Urban Forests: Focused on Major Forests in Incheon

Background and objective: Urban forests have increasingly integrated recreational and welfare facilities to enhance the quality of life for urban residents. This study explores the behaviors, perceptions, and satisfaction of visitors to major forests in Incheon Metropolitan City, aiming to offer guidelines for the improvement of recreational facilities within these urban forests. By understanding visitor needs and preferences, the study seeks to contribute to the development of more user-friendly and sustainable forest environments that cater to the well-being of city dwellers.Methods: The study focused on five major forests in Incheon: Munhaksan Mountain, Cheongnyangsan Mountain, Manwolsan Mountain, Wonjeoksan Mountain, and Gyeyangsan Mountain. Data were collected through field surveys and analyzed using cross-tabulation, one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis. Based on the results, targeted recommendations were made for the enhancement of recreational facilities in each forest.Results: For Munhaksan Mountain, expanding recreational spaces and offering trail-specific programs are key priorities, along with developing a maintenance plan to improve visitor satisfaction. In Cheongnyangsan Mountain, expanding popular facilities like barefoot walking paths and optimizing the forest structure for air purification and noise reduction are needed. Manwolsan Mountain requires a more efficient maintenance system, focusing on security, amenities, and visitor services to address the issue of low satisfaction. Wonjeoksan Mountain should enhance trail safety with more CCTVs and improve amenities such as restrooms and trash disposal. Gyeyangsan Mountain needs more rest areas and amenities, addressing congestion in the northwest while preserving natural scenery and providing an information platform for younger visitors.Conclusion: This study contributes to optimizing the use of urban forests and improving the quality of life for residents by proposing a strategic framework for the development of recreational welfare in forests. The findings are expected to serve as a valuable resource for local governments in formulating rational forest management and usage plans.

Conservation threats from tourism land grabs and greenwash

We report a new threat to conservation, namely land grabs by large tourism developers inside public protected areas. Locally, these tourism land grabs damage national parks through building footprints and access corridors, bringing habitat fragmentation, noise, light, roadkill, fire risk, and invasive plant and animal species and pathogens. They also create negative impacts on social equity and regional economies. The global tourism industry now perceives private development in public national parks as a mechanism to profit from land speculation, rather than merely monopoly provision of visitor services. Investment funds now use tourism, often with socialwashing components, as a political lever for land grabs. International “nature positive” marketing by tourism industry associations and multilateral tourism advocacy organisations is greenwash: it lacks substance, and aims to coopt conservation organisations.

Cultural heritage and economic development: measuring sustainability over time

This study investigates the role of museums and cultural heritage in local development, highlighting their ability to attract tourists, generate revenue, and promote inclusion and cultural diversity. According to traditional economic theory, cultural heritage provides positive externalities, enhancing employment and improving human and social capital, all while adhering to principles of sustainability. In this context, the Italian Survey on Museums and Other Cultural Institutions offers extensive data on heritage conservation, accessibility, and visitor services. Utilising this longitudinal data, we conduct a latent transition analysis to examine the evolution of the Italian museum sector with a focus on regional differences and museums’ dimension. Our findings classify Italian museums into three homogeneous sustainability states. Additionally, museum size positively affects both the initial and transition probabilities, while the macro-area significantly influences only the initial probability.

Pelayanan Pengunjung Disabilitas pada Museum Geologi dan Museum Konferensi Asia Afrika di Kota Bandung

This study is entitled "Disability Visitor Service at the Museum of Geology and Museum of the Asia Africa Conference in the Bandung City". This study seeks to find a discussion of museum services for persons with disabilities that substantively refer to the service quality concept revealed by Zeinthaml in 2006 consisting of (1) Tangibles, (2) Empathy, (3) Responsiveness, (4) Reliable and (5) Assurance, and performed at the Museum of Geology and the Museum of Asia Africa. This research uses a qualitative method approach. A qualitative approach is considered by researchers to be very appropriate in providing a holistic picture of the existing reality data. Data collection was performed using observation techniques, in- depth interviews, and documentation. Data analyzed was using the stages described by Miles and Huberman (1992: 16). Based on research, a conclusion can be drawn that both museums have all aspect studied for disabilities tourists. Broadly speaking, the Museum of Geology already has infrastructure and services that prepared for disabilities tourists, meanwhile the Museum of Asia Africa still has a variety of obstacles and minimal infrastructure will be aimed for disabilities tourists with some rules procedure and condition.

Exploring recreational ecosystem services and influencing factors in megaparks using mobile phone data—Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta region

At the large scale, regions composed of multiple cities and large parks are important nodes in the regional ecological network system. They provide diversified Recreational Ecosystem Services (RES), which are key components of the regional open space system. Traditional data and methods for evaluating RES in large parks have not fully considered the interactions between visitors and urban physical space environments. This study, grounded in the Theory of the Delivery Chain, defines parks over 100 ha as “megaparks”, employs mobile phone signaling data to effectively distinguish between local and non-local visitors in megaparks in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region. An index system was constructed to evaluate the RES effect of megaparks by measuring mobile check-in density, service radius, and turnover volume using Hierarchical Linear Regression (HLR) to reveal the relevant spatial influence factors of 677 megaparks. This study revealed that there are remarkable geographic and population differences in the RES effects of megaparks across cities in the Yangtze River Delta region. The turnover volume indicator can play an important role in measuring the RES of megaparks. Ten factors, including Internet users’ attention to parks, GDP per capita, Internet users’ attention to city, green coverage rates of megaparks, density of bus stations within a 500 m-buffer, the network distance to the administrative center, observable mountain or terrain fluctuations, landscape shape index, cultural heritage within the park, and supporting facilities around the park, have positive or negative impacts on the RES effect of megaparks, but none of the influencing factors worked simultaneously on the three indicators of mobile check-in density, service radius, and turnover volume of megaparks. We found that the turnover volume indicator is more advantageous in reflecting the spatial characteristics of RES in megaparks in a large-scale region, and the measurements are closer to traditional perceptions, which can serve as an important complement to the indicators of visitor mobile check-in density and service radius.

Agritourism Development through Leveraging Financial Support within the 4As Framework

Abstract Financing is a crucial issue in agritourism development. Financial considerations play a significant role in the successful implementation and long-term sustainability of agritourism ventures. This research focuses on understanding the financial challenges that arise within each component of the 4As framework. The research methodology used is a literature study. This study emphasizes the financial challenges that emerge within each component of the 4As framework. Key financial factors for sustainable agritourism includes infrastructure investment, eco-friendly planning, cost management, effective marketing, training, and environmental preservation. Developing and managing attractions requires financial investment in creating and promoting unique experiences while ensuring cultural sustainability and integrity. Access involves infrastructure development and maintenance, transportation costs, and the need to reach remote rural areas. Providing adequate amenities requires financial resources for facility development, maintenance, and visitor service management. Ancillary services pose financial barriers in terms of initial investment, operational costs, and balancing authenticity with visitor expectations. Innovative financial approaches and support mechanisms are needed to foster agritourim development. These include accessing funding opportunities, exploring public-private partnerships, leveraging community-based tourism models, and volunteer tourism. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the importance of financial support programs through government grants and subsidies, incubators and accelerators programs, and tourism development funds.

Optimizing Spatial Layout of Campsites for Self-Driving Tours in Xinjiang: A Study Based on Online Travel Blog Data

Within the economic and cultural context of Xinjiang, the tourism industry has rapidly developed as a strategic pillar of the national economy, with the self-driving tour market emerging prominently. However, the uneven spatial layout and insufficient service facilities of self-driving camps limit their development potential. This study aims to enhance the attractiveness of tourism in Xinjiang and improve the visitor service experience by constructing an evaluation system for the layout of self-driving camps based on online travel blog data, utilizing methods such as literature review, surveys, ArcGIS spatial analysis, and web text analysis. The Delphi method and entropy weight method were applied to determine the weights of the influencing factors. The findings reveal spatial imbalances in the layout of Xinjiang’s self-driving camps and propose eight preferred scenic areas for camp location. This study also suggests sustainable development strategies. These insights and recommendations aim to optimize the layout of self-driving camps, enhance the tourism experience, and promote the sustainable development of Xinjiang’s tourism industry.

INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF HOSPITALITY ENTERPRISES

The article studies the main directions and stages of development of the strategy of innovative development of hotel enterprises. It is substantiated that the development and implementation of innovations is the most important condition for the progressive development of both a separate enterprise, an entrepreneurial structure, and the entire economy as a whole. Innovative processes are now becoming increasingly important, their main task is to achieve competitive advantages for enterprises and more fully meet consumer demand for high-quality services. At present, this can only be achieved through innovations that need to be widely implemented and used in modern economic conditions.
 Innovation drives the emergence of in the market for new or improved products and services. Innovative activities can lead a hotel company to qualitative changes in all processes activities. They are aimed at achieving results - increasing the speed and quality of the visitor service process.
 Innovation process at the enterprise hotel industry consists of a list of actions to introduce services with new properties, new technological processes, the use of new methods and methods of logistics.
 Innovative development in the hotel business allows you to win as many visitors as possible and in the best way satisfy their needs while maintaining a market segment. This development strategy hotel determines its recognition on competitive service markets.
 The best way to achieve good results is to plan a hotel enterprise development strategy based on a systematic analysis of competitors, consumers, and the hotel's technological profile.
 It should not be forgotten that for any hotel, the most important role in the process of innovative development is played by the staff. After all, the human factor certainly affects the positioning of the service and can lead to its positive and negative position

California Recreation and Visitor Services Program (DOI)

California Recreation and Visitor Services Program (DOI)

Using cellular device location data to estimate visitation to public lands: Comparing device location data to U.S. National Park Service's visitor use statistics.

Understanding human use of public lands is essential for management of natural and cultural resources. However, compiling consistently reliable visitation data across large spatial and temporal scales and across different land managing entities is challenging. Cellular device locations have been demonstrated as a source to map human activity patterns and may offer a viable solution to overcome some of the challenges that traditional on-the-ground visitation counts face on public lands. Yet, large-scale applicability of human mobility data derived from cell phone device locations for estimating visitation counts to public lands remains unclear. This study aims to address this knowledge gap by examining the efficacy and limitations of using commercially available cellular data to estimate visitation to public lands. We used the United States' National Park Service's (NPS) 2018 and 2019 monthly visitor use counts as a ground-truth and developed visitation models using cellular device location-derived monthly visitor counts as a predictor variable. Other covariates, including park unit type, porousness, and park setting (i.e., urban vs. non-urban, iconic vs. local), were included in the model to examine the impact of park attributes on the relationship between NPS and cell phone-derived counts. We applied Pearson's correlation and generalized linear mixed model with adjustment of month and accounting for potential clustering by the individual park units to evaluate the reliability of using cell data to estimate visitation counts. Of the 38 parks in our study, 20 parks had a correlation of greater than 0.8 between monthly NPS and cell data counts and 8 parks had a correlation of less than 0.5. Regression modeling showed that the cell data could explain a great amount of the variability (conditional R-squared = 0.96) of NPS counts. However, these relationships varied across parks, with better associations generally observed for iconic parks. While our study increased our confidence in using cell phone data to estimate visitation, we also became aware of some of the limitations and challenges which we present in the Discussion.

Marketplace accessibility: a service-provider perspective

PurposeThis study aims to explore the strategies that service providers use to facilitate marketplace accessibility, and identify the key challenges in that process. The authors do so to develop a roadmap towards improved accessibility and disability inclusion in the marketplace.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted eight semi-structured interviews with service providers (curators, visitor service coordinators and access managers) at museums who run access programmes for customers with visual impairment (VI), along with an embodied duo-ethnography of those programmes.FindingsService providers foster autonomous, embodied and social access. Resource constraints, safety concerns and exposed differences between customers compromise access. To overcome these challenges, service providers engage in three inclusionary strategies – informing, extending and sensitizing.Research limitations/implicationsThis service provider- and VI-focus present limitations. Future research should consider a poly-vocal approach that includes the experiences of numerous stakeholders to holistically advance marketplace accessibility; and apply the marketplace accessibility findings upon different disabilities in other marketplace contexts.Practical implicationsThis study offers a roadmap for policymakers and service providers on: which types of access should and can be created; what challenges may be encountered; how to manage these challenges; and, thus, how to advance accessibility beyond regulations.Originality/valueThis study contributes a service provider perspective on marketplace accessibility that goes beyond removing “disabling” barriers towards creating opportunities for co-creation; an approach towards marketplace accessibility that fosters inclusiveness while considering the inherent challenges of that process; and an illustration of posthumanism’s empirical value in addressing issues of accessibility in the marketplace.

Assessing Visitor Satisfaction and Service Quality at Impos Beach

Assessing Visitor Satisfaction and Service Quality at Impos Beach

Multisensory Stimuli, Restorative Effect, and Satisfaction of Visits to Forest Recreation Destinations: A Case Study of the Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area in Taiwan.

The perceived quality of the restorative environment of forest resources should be a key consideration for forest recreational areas in managing ecosystem services to provide health benefits to visitors. However, previous studies on utilizing forests as a resource for restorative services have rarely explored the simultaneous integration of on-site sensory experiences from a multisensory perspective or evaluated visitor satisfaction from a service-oriented standpoint. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the association among multisensory stimuli, perceived restorativeness, and satisfaction with visits to forest recreation areas and clarify the mediating role of perceived restorativeness in the relationship between multisensory stimuli and satisfaction. This study deployed a questionnaire and collected 458 valid responses from visitors to the Jhihben National Forest Recreation Area in Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test the study hypotheses. The results indicated that visual sensations, auditory sensations, olfactory sensations, and tactile sensations had significant positive effects on perceived restorativeness and satisfaction and that perceived restorativeness also had a significant positive effect on satisfaction. Perceived restorativeness played a partial mediating role in this causal model. This study verified the psychological model of the relationships among a natural setting's multisensory stimuli, perceived restorativeness, and satisfaction. In practice, the findings of this study offer guidance for forest recreation areas to develop strategies for ecological services, encompassing the establishment of restorative environmental management and visitor service management approaches.

Problems and Prospects of Development of Restaurant Business in the City of Uman

Purpose: The objective of this article is to analyze the quality of service provision in organizing visitor services in local restaurants of various types and changes in their quantity in 2018–2022. Design / Methodology / Approach: Based on observation and survey methods, analysis, comparison, and systematization of results, the activities of restaurants of different types that continued to operate in the service market despite the changes that occurred after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been studied. Findings: The most competitive restaurants in the city of Uman, which are most popular among the local population and city guests, have been identified. The quality of visitor service has been analyzed, and errors that occur in the operation of establishments during visitor service have been identified. Originality / Value: The theoretical significance of the article lies in identifying problematic issues in their activities and determining recommendations for improving the operation of restaurants in the city of Uman, taking into account modern trends in the hospitality industry. Practical Meaning: It is noted that the absence of strategy and planning, as well as proper control by the owner, leads to a rapid decline in the ranking of competitive enterprises. It has been proven that the state of business in cities and individual territorial communities determines the economic development of the country as a whole. The activities of individual entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry not only contribute financially to the well-being of local areas but also create an impression of comfort and coziness for local residents and tourists. Further Research: Further studies are needed to investigate the compliance of the assortment of dishes and drinks with the type of enterprise, the price-quality ratio, serviceology, and the availability of additional services.

Cooperation between the health visitor and the physician as one of the pillars of the 108-year-old Hungarian Health Visitor Service

Despite the more than 100-year history of the Hungarian Health Visitor Service, no study has yet been carried out that looked back at the cooperation between health visitors and physicians. Our aim was 1) to explore the professional advances of the health visitor service and the cooperation between health visitor and physician by examining historical documents, legal and professional regulations governing the work of health visitor, furthermore, 2) to investigate whether there are compulsory training elements in today's training for health visitors that prepare students for health visitor and physician collaboration, moreover, 3) to search for old tools and documents used by health visitors and doctors in the North-West of Transdanubia. A literature search was carried out to identify documents relating to the development of the work of health visitors, the cooperation between health visitors and physicians, past and current legal and professional regulations, the current regulation on training of health visitors. Through field research, we tracked down old tools and documents of health visitors and physicians. The establishment of the Hungarian Health Visitor Service is associated with the names of professors of medicine. The historical documents and regulations testify the development of the work of the health visitor, the expansion of her competences and the importance of the health visitor and physician cooperation. The training competences required for the cooperation between health visitors and physicians, health visitors and specialists are regulated by the regulation on training of health visitors. We have found many old objects and documents used in the work of the health visitor and doctor. The documents that have preserved almost invariably describe the health visitor as a person working alongside the physician, in cooperation with the physician. Nowadays, the regulation of cooperation covers for all specialties in the field of health visitor. Based on our research, it is fair to say that the health visitor-physician cooperation is an important pillar of the 108-year-old Hungarian Health Visitor Service. Orv Hetil. 2023; 164(33): 1311-1318.

국립공원 탐방서비스에 있어 보완대체의사소통(AAC)의 적용에 관한 연구

국립공원 탐방서비스에 있어 보완대체의사소통(AAC)의 적용에 관한 연구

Study of fauna and public perception of captive animals at Peshawar Zoo, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Zoos are commonly regarded as the best place for amusement and enjoyment. A large number of people vigor to zoos to see different animals with their family and friends. The current study investigated "fauna and public opinion of caged animals at Peshawar Zoo" using a well-designed Questionnaire. Questionnaires include questions regarding the zoo environment, public behavior toward animals, and the zoo's involvement in the conservation of endangered species, animal health and enclosure upkeep, and visitor services such as drinking water, a café, and washrooms. People were also polled to choose which species they preferred and which animals they would want to see at the Peshawar Zoo. The responders were then asked whether they had any thoughts or recommendations for zoo upgrades. 198 visitors were questioned both inside and outside the zoo. As a result, it is apparent that the Peshawar Zoo is an excellent location for leisure and recreation. Visitors were excited to view the various animals and were pleased with the zoo's administration. It is specious that the majority of visitors were unaware of the zoo's role in the conservation of endangered animals. A variety of valuable suggestions can aid in the development of the Peshawar Zoo. The concerned authorities should take notes on the methods of education and modes of information used by the zoo management.

Direction for interpretive programming from Alberta Provincial Park management plans

Park management plans provide strategic direction for the future management of specific parks. These plans set goals and strategies for many park management concerns, including ecological integrity, visitor services, facilities, boundaries, and resource allocation. Understanding interpretive goals, topics, and strategies will help a park or park system develop a coherent approach to interpretive planning, delivery, and evaluation. This study determined how interpretation was prioritized in Alberta provincial parks’ management plans. We analyzed 32 management plans based on length (average of 80 pages), age (average of 14 years), goals, topics, and strategies. Overall, 84% of the plans addressed interpretation, devoting an average of 3% of their length to interpretation. The most targeted interpretive goals were “learning,” “increasing positive attitudes,” “behavior change,” and “enjoyment.” The most frequent interpretive topics were “heritage,” “culture,” “conservation,” and “flora or fauna.” The most common interpretive strategies were “signs,” “general personal interpretation,” and “guided hikes.” Even though interpretation received a low emphasis, newer plans provided more emphasis, expanding on conceptualizing and evaluating interpretation compared with older plans. By summarizing the priorities of management plans for interpretation, this study may help park staff set interpretive goals, evaluate progress, and promote consistency between the goals of park staff and outcomes for visitors. In turn, this information may help park planners and practitioners to better align interpretive goals, strategies, and outcomes.

Study of Fauna and Public Perception of Captive Animals at Peshawar Zoo, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Zoos are commonly regarded as the best place for amusement and enjoyment. A large number of people vigor to zoos to see different animals with family and friends. The current study investigated "fauna and public opinion of caged animals at Peshawar Zoo" using a well-designed Questionnaire. Questionnaires include questions regarding the zoo environment, public behavior toward animals, and the zoo's involvement in the conservation of endangered species, animal health and enclosure upkeep, and visitor services such as drinking water, a café, and washrooms. People were also polled to choose which species they preferred and which animals they would want to see at the Peshawar Zoo. The responders were then asked whether they had any thoughts or recommendations for zoo upgrades. 198 visitors were questioned both inside and outside the zoo. As a result, it is apparent that the Peshawar Zoo is an excellent location for leisure and recreation. Visitors were excited to view the various animals and were pleased with the zoo's administration. It is specious that the majority of visitors were unaware of the zoo's role in the conservation of endangered animals. A variety of valuable suggestions can aid in the development of the Peshawar Zoo. The concerned authorities should take notes on the methods of education and modes of information used by the zoo management.

Methods of functional zoning of protected areas for development of ecological tourism

The influence of territorial structures on the formation of functional zones in protected areas is analysed. The need to identify spatial combinations of the most valuable elements of the territorial structure is formulated. The zone configuration is determined by areal, linear and single territorial structures. These are also components of specialized frames. Influence on the location of functional areas is produced by: environmental framework (reserves, specially protected areas, educational tourism zone, protected area); eco-cultural frame (area of protection of historical and cultural objects, area of traditional nature management); natural recreational frame (recreational area, area of visitor services, especially protected area); transport frame (economic area and area of visitor services). Currently, research in the field of spatial development of ecotourism territories is fragmentary. Therefore, there is a need to develop a theoretical model of urban development of ecological tourism territories, the spatial organization of which should be based on the principle of active prevention of environmental violations in the development of recreational activities.